1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to portable coolers and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Until recently, most prior art coolers used for the purpose of maintaining cool temperatures for food and the like were nothing more than insulated chests. This limited both the temperature at which items could be stored and the duration that items could be effectively be stored prior to spoilage. Recent active cooler systems are more in the nature of portable refrigerators, allowing the coolers to be plugged into electrical outlets, or automobile and boat electrical accessory receptacles. This allows for true portable refrigeration. However, these systems cannot work as intended when no electrical outlets or receptacles are available, such as at many camping, fishing, picnic, and general rural sites. Further, these systems can be draining on vehicle batteries when the vehicle motors are not running (which leads to undesirable fuel consumption).
What is needed is a portable refrigeration type cooler that need not rely upon electrical outlets and receptacles for power when outdoors.